Using data from Germany this paper examines the direct effect of non-financial firms' use of short-term versus long-term liabilities. We develop a structural model of a firm's value maximization problem that predicts that profitability of the firm will change if firms alter their use of...

This paper studies gender discrimination against entrepreneurs by financial institutions. Based on the cross-country Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS) our analysis suggests that, compared to male-managed counterparts, female-managed firms are less likely to obtain a...

Using a unique large panel of German firms, we examine whether participation in business groups (Konzerns) reduces the sensitivity of investment to cash flow. The main finding is that the investment sensitivity is significantly reduced for small firms. On the other hand, we do not find clear...